Electric switch.



O. 11.11. HEINS. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLIOATIOE FILED JUNE30,1909.

Patented 7 Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-KEET 1.

M aktozmu 5 O. H. H. HEINS. ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION rum) Jtmnao, 1999.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nwnrou (Moun s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO H. H. HEINS, 0F EDGEWATER, ,NEW J EBSEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH,

Application filed. June 20,

T 0 all whom it may concern! -Be it known that I Orro HQH. lhzms, citizen of'tlie German Empire, residing at. Valley Place, Edgeivat-er, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Electric Switches; and I, do-liereby declare the followin to be a full, clcar, and

exact description 0 the invention, such, will enable others skilled in the art to nvhi'c it appertains to make and use the same,

This invention has referenceto ignition systems and electric switches therefor and relates particularly to the ignition in engines for driving motor vehicles which employ. two spark plugs in each enginec ylindcr, one spark plug being connected with a batteryand the other spark plug being connected with a vmagneto generator.

One object oftheinvention is to provide simple and ellicient'nieaiis whereby the-operator of the vehicle may cut out citlieror both sets of spark plugs at will.

the key is removed, t

A further ob ect of the invention is to provide means for breaking circuits and preventing the closing of the same by'unaiitlion' izcd persons or through accident.

A further object of the invention is to pro-,- vide a devicecapable of accomplishing the desired results which will be of simple con-. struction and arranged in compact form, whereby it may-be casily manufactured and applied and will occupy very little space in or on thevehicle.

\Vith these objects, andsuch other inci dental objects as may hereinafter appear, in view, the invention consists in a switch plate and a removable key for operatii'i the same,

the switch plate being incapable 0? operation unless the key is in place and-being neces'-' sarily in the circuit-breaking position when The ini'entioirifurther consists" in an a-rrangeincnt of circuits and circuit-terminals and "a construction of switch plate whereby the breaking or closing of the igniter circuits may be accomplished easily and at will.

The invention further consists in a peculiar frame or support by which the device iiia y be quickly and securely fastened to the dashboard or other part-of the which, and finally the invention consists in certain novel details all of'wliicli are illustrated n the accoiiipauying' drawings and; wilt-be hereinaflci; first fully described ai'i'ckthen particu-- rlii ims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr; 2 1 914; 1909. SerialNo.5Q5,268. v

grammatic view of the switch in the Zero position and connected-through a battery.

and a magneto with the spark plugsq'Figy-2 is acentral'vertical section ofthe complete lswitch with the operating key in pos tion therein; Fig. 3 is aview from thetrear of the switch, with the backremoved; Fig. 4

is a detail longitudinal section of the switch plate; Fig. 5 is a detail section of the main pfgthe device with the key removed;- Fig. 7 is a, detail view of the key; Figs; S'and 9- ir e diagrammatic views showing differentpos 'tions of the switch; Fig. 10-is a detail 'elcvation of the s'witcli plate; Fig; 11, a rear elevation of the complete switch, and Fig. 12, a

detail view partly in section, of a modifica tion of the switch in which thekey'isprm' the rin to secure it in place. T he inner an nular ace of'tlie ring is shaped to provide the opening 4 and the slots 5, and it s-outer c'ircumferentiaiface. may be corrugated or roughened to prevent shifting of the'same lannularly upon its seat in theend of the The switch plate comprises a .inctallic'diskfS, liavin'ga'. central torwai'dly .projecting'key-pipe, 9, which will fit snugly but turn readily ,in tliqbearing 2 and is provided-with longitudinal slots or grooves, '10, adapted to register with slots 5 to reccive'a key,11;- This keyis a fiat plate of a thickness which will permit it to just eiiteraiid pass through. tlic'slois 5 and cngagc tlieslots or grooves 10 s that when the. 'cyiis turned-tho key-pipeand switch plate willbe turned therewith, The

bearings key is constructed witha body- 'or handle odium-12', and afsteni, 13,- aud its sidr edges, at about the junction ofthc stcmandho'dv portions, are provided with notches,

14'. When the key is inserted, these notches collars -or tubes, -3, asclearly.

the front end of thc' the not clics or supportingplate; Fig. '6 is a'front elevation 25 rigidly secured' in and projects rearwardly 14 will coincide with the notches 5 and, consequently, when the key is rotated the notches in its edges will engage the ring or collar 7 and withdrawal of the key is then prevented. The parts are so arranged that the key can be withdrawn or inserted only when the switch plate is in what I term the zero position, that is, with the ignition circuits inactive. The removal of the key,

therefore, necessarily renders the igniters inoperative. A blank fiat instrument cannot be used to operate the switch plate because if it is wide enough to engage the slots in the key-pipe it will be too 'wide to rotate. in the central circular opening 4 of the bearing 2. The switch plate is provided in its edge with a recess 15, which is.adapte d to be engaged by '2. lug or head, 16, carried by a spring, 17, in order to hold the plate in the zero position.

Upon the back face of the disk 8 is an insulating-plate, 18, which covers the entire stituting a contact member; The disk also carries a central spring stud, 20, which is fronrthe metallic body of the. disk and is adapted to enter and bear against the inner face of a tubular binding post or terminal,-

21'. Inorder to limit the movement of the switch,-I provide radial projections or stops, 22, on the edge of the disk which are adapted to impinge against some fixed part of'tlie device and thereby arrest the rotation.

terminal plate, 23, of insulating material, is arranged in .rear of theswitch' plateand the tubular terminal 21.is secured rigidly in Ithis terminal plate at the center of the same. Above the central terminal, the terminal plate carries t'wo terminals, 24, 25, which consistof binding posts and contact sprin 26, mounted on the inner ends of t e posts and bearing against the face of the switcl. plate. In order to protect the parts from dust or other extraneous matter which might injuriously affect the electrical contacts, a rim or band, 27, is fitted to the main supporting plate 1 and has an edge crimped' over the edge of the terminal plate, as'clearly shown in Fig. 2, :to inclose and hold said plate.

To secure the device in position, I employ a number of retaining bolts which are inserted through the frame or dashboard of the vehicle and the main supporting plate. In Fig. 2 I have shown the preferred arrang'ement, the bearing 2 of the main sup.- porting plate being inserted through the dashboard, 28, or other part of the vehicle body, and a face plate or escutcheon, 29, being placed over the project-ing end of the said bearing and against; the part through whichit projects. This face plate and the terminal plateare constructed with openings which are caused to register-with the bores headed bolts, 30, inserted in their rear ends through the terminal plate and similar bolts, 31, inserted in their opposite ends through the face late and the dashboard. By .turn ing up t iese bolts, the terminal plate will be clamped against the main supporting plate and the said supporting plate and the face late will be clamped against/the dashboard or the body of the vehicle. It will be noted that by withdrawing the front bolts 31', the main plate, switch plate and terminal plate may be removed in an assembled relation and unnecessary disturbance of the parts avoided. The construction, furthermore, permits-the operatin parts to be adjusted at the factory and 5 ip in an assembled condition so that the evioe may be face of the disk except'a segment, 19, consecured in position on the vehicle by an unskilled erson without disturbing the adjustmenii The contact springs beari a instthe switch plate tend to hold said p ate in its proper osition in the main supporting late so t at it may be properly engaged y the key and will not drop from i the said main plate during transportation.

In order tofurther aid in maintaining this relation of thetwo parts, I provide-the central terminal with a small head or boss, 32',

which bears agahist the switch plate at the center of the same, as shown in Fig. 2. The holding spring "17, which holds the switch platein its zero position, has its ends secured to the upper collars or tubes and arches between the saine over the edge of the,switching disk. .The resiliency of the spring thus throws the lug 16 carried thereby into engagement with the recess in the ed e of the disk and will consequently hold t e same in the zero position against jarring or other accident but will yield read ily to permit movement of the switch after the key is inserted.

For the purposesof illustration, I ha\e shown a ma eto generator, 34, which has a main an an auxiliary winding, the main winding, 35, being connected to a contact piece,- 36, at the end of. the armature core, while the end of the winding ,is connected to a conducting sleeve, 37, surrounding and insulated from the contact piece 36'. The auxiliary windin 38, i

. D is a. continuation of the main winding and its end is grounded through a metallic part of the supporting vor inclosing frame. The conducting sleeve,-37, hasfone member of an interrupter, 39, secured on its outer' end, the other member of. said interrupter being connected to and'cgirried by he contact piece 36 by moans of a spindle,40, screwed into. the sa e- A cap, 41;"covers the interrupter and 0 A I carries a spring contact, 42, on rtsinner side which bears against the end of the spindle 40 .wnile aspring, 43, carried by a post, 44,

.bears against the outer side of the cap 41;

Th s post H is connected by a conductor, 4.3.1 to the post 24 on the terminal plate "23, and:

is also connected by a conductor, 46, to the brush of a distributer, 47, the blades or posts of the distributer being connected respectively, with the movable electrodes of the sparking plugs, 48. The stationary electrodes of the plugs are formed by the metal- .lic' bodies of the plugs or the engine and, consequently, form grounded points in the sparking circuit.

The central post or terminal, 21, is

, ounded through the metallic mass of the fihgine and the terminal 25 is connected by a suitable conductor with a battery, 49, from which a conductor, 50, leads to a primary coil, 51 whose opposite end is. grounded through. an interrupter, 51'. From the secondary coil, 52, a conductor, 52, leads to the movable member of a distributer, 53, while from the stationary members of said distributer, conductors, 54, lead to a second set of sparking plugs, 55. The secondary is grounded at 52".

The battery will form an arc in one of the sparkin plugs 55 when the battery circuit is close the particular plug being determined by the distributer which is driven by the engine and is so adjusted relatively thereto as to send the current to the plug'in that cylinder which is at full compression.

In the magneto, when'the contacts of the interrupter are together, the current generate'dwill expend its greatest strength in the circuit of the main winding. \Vhen the said contacts separate the full strength of the current will be sent over the auxiliary winding circuit through the distributor to the sparking plugs, but if thesegment 19 be brought into contact with thespringon the terminal 24, the current will be shortcircuit'cd from the distributer over the terminal 21 and the grounded connections. Gmix-oucntly, withthe switch in the zero position illustrated in Fig. 1, the segment 19 is in electrical contact with the terminal Q-t and the magneto is grounded while the battery circuit is broken. If it be desired to work under the magneto current, the switch plate is turned to the left so as to carry the segment to one side, as indicated in Fig. 8, in which position the segment will be out of contact with terminals 2L and 25, the result being that the sparking circuit of the magneto will be again. established and'thc battery circuit will remain broken.

Should itlbe desired to work under the battcrv current, the segment is brought into art position shown in Fig. 9, in which it will be in contact with both terminals so that the battery circuit WlllbQ' established and the Esired to-use the vehicle,'tlie driver inserts the key lland with it turns the switch plate .8 to.:the position shown in Fig. 8, or that shown in Fig. 9 accordingly as it is desired to work with the magneto or the battery current. The engine is then started-in the usual manner and the vehicle will be propelled. g

VVheu the trip has been completed or for any other reason the vehicle is stopped, the switch plat): is turned to the zero position and the key is removed. The driver inav then leave the machine without .any fear of itsbcing' used in his absence provided he retains the key in his possession, because the. battery circuit will be broken and the sparking circuit of the magneto will be grounded. Consequently,--attempts to start the cnginewill fail as no ignition will foland its tube may be provided with a plurality of coacting wards, in the manner common in locks, and as will be fully understood by those skilled in the art. Such a modification is indicated in Fig. 12.-

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is l. The combination of a terminal plate having a central tubular binding post, a. contact carried by said plate to one side of said post, a switch plate having a central stud adapted to enter and electrically engage the said tubular post and having a contact surface arranged to bear against the contact carried by the terminal plate, and means for actuating the switch plate.

2. The combination of a terminal plate of insulating material. a hollow post secured centrally therein, other posts secured in the terminal plate and carrying contact springs, a disk. of conducting material having an overhanging segment adapted to bcarupon the said contact springs, an insulating p ate covering the entire face of the disk except the overhanging segment, a stud secured centrally in'the disk and projecting therefrom through the said insulating plate to engage the hollow post in the terminal plate,

and means for rotating the disk.

3. The combination of a suppoitingplate having rearwardly projecting tubes and a central forwardly projecting bearing, a switch 'plate journalcd in the said bearing. a terminal plate arranged in rear of the switch plate, and securing bolts inserted through the terminal plate into the tubes of V the supporting plate to secure all the parts together.

4:. The combination of a supporting plate having rearwardly projecting tubes and a central forwardlyprojecting bearing adapt.-

ed to" pass through a fixe'l supporlga face bolts inserted through the face plate into plate fitted n the end of said" bearing said tubes.

against the fixed u ,rt, a switch plate In testimony whereof I hereunto 1161); my journa'led in'fhe -sai' bearing, a terminal signature in the presence of two witnesses.

-- plate arranged in rear of the switch plate, OTTO H. H. HEINS.

fasteningfiehfinserted throu h the termi- Witnesses: nal plate. intd ithe rearward Z projecting CHARLES 'RUnEL, tubes of the nm n plate, and at fastening Hsco Bons'n 

